Log InRegister
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreOur ScienceMindat Newsletter [Free Download]Contact Us
Donate to MindatSponsor a PageCorporate SponsorshipSponsored Pages
Learning CenterWhat Is a Mineral?The Most Common Minerals on EarthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesMindat Newsletter [Free Download]The ElementsThe Mineral Quiz
Search FormMinerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDMinerals by CountryAlphabetical Mineral IndexAlphabetical Locality SearchMineral Association SearchList of CountriesLocalities Near MePhoto SearchSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMore Search Options
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
MineralsPetrologyFossilsMeteoritesGeologic Time
Mining CompaniesStatisticsMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsDevice SettingsTime Machine
Read DiscussionsIdentification Request
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColourPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Cattle Grid deposit, Oakden Hills, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australiai
Regional Level Types
Cattle Grid depositDeposit
Oakden HillsLocality (Australia)
Pastoral Unincorporated AreaUnincorporated Area
South AustraliaState
AustraliaCountry

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
PhotosMapsSearch
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° 26' 37'' South , 137° 8' 31'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Woomera293 (2013)40.0km
Mindat Locality ID:
163
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:163:1
GUID (UUID V4):
0
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Cattle Grid deposit, Pernatty Lagoon; Cattle Grid Pit; Cattlegrid; ML5599


A non-operating copper-silver-cobalt mine adjacent to Pernatty Lagoon, a salt lake, about 40km SE of Woomera. Cattle Grid was found in 1971, concealed by Dune sand, and is by far the largest deposit in the Mt Gunson field. Cattle Grid deposit yielded 7.2 Mt @ 1.9% Cu and more than 8 g/t silver for a total of 137,000 tonnes of contained copper between 1974 – 1986.

The Cattlegrid deposit was sporadically re-mined based on bulk mining from open cuts with lower ore grades. Previously owned by Mount Gunson Mines Pty, presently under a mining lease by Salisbury Resources Ltd. Salisbury’s Main Exploration Target is 11-12 million tonnes @ 1-1.5 % copper and 5-10 g/t silver with additional cobalt credits from the prospective zone of the un-mined Cattle Grid Breccia north of the existing pit.

Mount Gunson is located on flat-lying Precambrian platform sediments overlaying the Gawler Craton horst/graben crystalline basement within the Olympic Dam Copper-Gold Province, a generally North trending feature which hosts a number of significant copper-gold mines.

The sediments host gently dipping lenticular orebodies of copper sulphide mineralisation with plan dimensions measured in kilometres or fractions thereof, and thicknesses varying from about 3-10m. Their depths vary from 10s of m to up to 400m deep. The orebodies display a marked ore gradation highest in the upper section. This upper zone can include a brecciated carbonate-rich sandstone within a carbonate-rich mudstone host. As of 2013, two of the shallower deposits (the MG14 and Windabout) have been exploited by open pit methods.

Shale-hosted orebodies within the Tapley Hill Formation are much finer grained and not necessarily breccia hosted. Minerals include chalcocite, bornite, chalcopyrite, covellite, and carrolite.

Sandstone-hosted orebodies of the Pandurra Formation (a 1km pre-Adelaidean fluviatile sandstone unit are similar, but tend to exclude cobalt and silver.

More regionally, atacamite has been noted at the surface and has been ascribed to the salinated surface environment.

Crystalline gypsum veining is common within Quaternary sand spreads.

For the copper sulphides, flotation recovery is poor at marketable grade but leaching of low-grade concentrates has shown some promise. For that reason, the now-defunct Cattlegrid and Main Open Cut pits use in-pit heap leaching and cementation. In addition, recovery of metallic copper, cobalt and silver at the mine site is being explored via a solvent extraction-electrowin process.

Note: As at 19/4/2024 the following references are invalid:
www.gunson.com.au (n.d.) http://www.gunson.com.au/html/gunson_f.html
www.pir.sa.gov.au (n.d.) http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/10906/mj28_copper.pdf
www.salisburyresources.com.au (n.d.) http://www.salisburyresources.com.au/?page_id=117

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.


Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

36 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Anhydrite
Formula: CaSO4
ⓘ Atacamite
Formula: Cu2(OH)3Cl
ⓘ Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘ Bismuthinite
Formula: Bi2S3
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
ⓘ Brochantite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘ Carrollite
Formula: CuCo2S4
ⓘ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ Chrysocolla
Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
ⓘ Connellite
Formula: Cu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
References:
Steve Sorrell CollectionIdentified by Steve Sorrell: Visual Identification
ⓘ Copiapite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Dickite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘ Digenite
Formula: Cu9S5
ⓘ Djurleite
Formula: Cu31S16
ⓘ Emplectite
Formula: CuBiS2
ⓘ Eriochalcite
Formula: CuCl2 · 2H2O
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Glaucodot
Formula: (Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
ⓘ Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘ Halloysite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
References:
Steve Sorrell CollectionIdentification: Visual Identification
ⓘ Halotrichite
Formula: FeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘ Iodargyrite
Formula: AgI
ⓘ Linnaeite
Formula: Co2+Co3+2S4
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Nukundamite
Formula: Cu3.33Fe0.66S4
ⓘ Paratacamite
Formula: Cu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Sideronatrite
Formula: Na2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
ⓘ Siegenite
Formula: CoNi2S4
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS
ⓘ 'Tennantite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S
ⓘ Tenorite
Formula: CuO
ⓘ 'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'
Formula: Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
✪ Wittichenite
Formula: Cu3BiS3
ⓘ Wulfenite
Formula: Pb(MoO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘDjurleite2.BA.05Cu31S16
ⓘDigenite2.BA.10Cu9S5
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘNukundamite2.CA.10Cu3.33Fe0.66S4
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘCarrollite2.DA.05CuCo2S4
ⓘLinnaeite2.DA.05Co2+Co3+2S4
ⓘSiegenite2.DA.05CoNi2S4
ⓘBismuthinite2.DB.05Bi2S3
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘGlaucodot2.EB.10c(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
ⓘWittichenite2.GA.20Cu3BiS3
ⓘ'Tennantite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)As4S12S
ⓘ'Tetrahedrite Subgroup'2.GB.05Cu6(Cu4C2+2)Sb4S12S
ⓘEmplectite2.HA.05CuBiS2
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘIodargyrite3.AA.10AgI
ⓘEriochalcite3.BB.05CuCl2 · 2H2O
ⓘAtacamite3.DA.10aCu2(OH)3Cl
ⓘParatacamite3.DA.10cCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
ⓘConnellite3.DA.25Cu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘTenorite4.AB.10CuO
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘAzurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAnhydrite7.AD.30CaSO4
ⓘBrochantite7.BB.25Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘHalotrichite7.CB.85FeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
ⓘGypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘCopiapite7.DB.35Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
ⓘSideronatrite7.DF.20Na2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
ⓘWulfenite7.GA.05Pb(MoO4)
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘDickite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘHalloysite9.ED.10Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘChrysocolla9.ED.20Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Hⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Hⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Hⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Hⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Hⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Hⓘ DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ EriochalciteCuCl2 · 2H2O
Hⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Hⓘ HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ ParatacamiteCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
Hⓘ SideronatriteNa2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
CCarbon
Cⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Oⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Oⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Oⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Oⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Oⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Oⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Oⓘ DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ EriochalciteCuCl2 · 2H2O
Oⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Oⓘ HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ ParatacamiteCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ SideronatriteNa2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
Oⓘ TenoriteCuO
Oⓘ WulfenitePb(MoO4)
NaSodium
Naⓘ SideronatriteNa2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
AlAluminium
Alⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Alⓘ DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Alⓘ HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Alⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
SiSilicon
Siⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Siⓘ DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ HalloysiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
SSulfur
Sⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Sⓘ BismuthiniteBi2S3
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Sⓘ CarrolliteCuCo2S4
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Sⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Sⓘ DjurleiteCu31S16
Sⓘ EmplectiteCuBiS2
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ Glaucodot(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
Sⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Sⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Sⓘ LinnaeiteCo2+Co23+S4
Sⓘ NukundamiteCu3.33Fe0.66S4
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SideronatriteNa2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
Sⓘ SiegeniteCoNi2S4
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
Sⓘ Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
Sⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
Sⓘ WitticheniteCu3BiS3
ClChlorine
Clⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Clⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Clⓘ EriochalciteCuCl2 · 2H2O
Clⓘ ParatacamiteCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
CaCalcium
Caⓘ AnhydriteCaSO4
Caⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
FeIron
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ CopiapiteFe2+Fe43+(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O
Feⓘ Glaucodot(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
Feⓘ HalotrichiteFeAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Feⓘ NukundamiteCu3.33Fe0.66S4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
Feⓘ SideronatriteNa2Fe(SO4)2(OH) · 3H2O
CoCobalt
Coⓘ CarrolliteCuCo2S4
Coⓘ Glaucodot(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
Coⓘ LinnaeiteCo2+Co23+S4
Coⓘ SiegeniteCoNi2S4
NiNickel
Niⓘ SiegeniteCoNi2S4
CuCopper
Cuⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Cuⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Cuⓘ CarrolliteCuCo2S4
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ ChrysocollaCu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Cuⓘ ConnelliteCu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Cuⓘ DjurleiteCu31S16
Cuⓘ EmplectiteCuBiS2
Cuⓘ EriochalciteCuCl2 · 2H2O
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Cuⓘ NukundamiteCu3.33Fe0.66S4
Cuⓘ ParatacamiteCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
Cuⓘ Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
Cuⓘ TenoriteCuO
Cuⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
Cuⓘ WitticheniteCu3BiS3
ZnZinc
Znⓘ ParatacamiteCu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asⓘ Glaucodot(Co0.50Fe0.50)AsS
Asⓘ Tennantite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)As4S12S
MoMolybdenum
Moⓘ WulfenitePb(MoO4)
AgSilver
Agⓘ IodargyriteAgI
SbAntimony
Sbⓘ Tetrahedrite SubgroupCu6(Cu4C22+)Sb4S12S
IIodine
Iⓘ IodargyriteAgI
PbLead
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS
Pbⓘ WulfenitePb(MoO4)
BiBismuth
Biⓘ BismuthiniteBi2S3
Biⓘ EmplectiteCuBiS2
Biⓘ WitticheniteCu3BiS3

Localities in this Region

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australia
Australian PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: October 21, 2026 16:11:04 Page updated: December 27, 2025 01:00:20
Go to top of page